Accessible Gallery

Details

“Accessible Gallery” is the first such extensive and comprehensive activity of Galeria Labirynt devoted to overcoming the barriers of access to culture.

The starting point of the exhibition is the collection of Galeria Labirynt, which includes cultural goods of high artistic value – works created by the most outstanding Polish and foreign artists. The collection of Galeria Labirynt in Lublin is one of the most important collections created in the early 20th century, which started gathering works of art originating from the neo-avant-garde tradition. The collection is represented by the works of the most important artists of contemporary art and reflects the main trends from the 1970s to the present day.

List of works from the collection of Galeria Labirynt selected for accessibility preparation as part of the project:

Wojciech Bąkowski – Dance
Mirosław Bałka – 189 x 214 x 17/ Szaar Ha-Rahamim
Olaf Brzeski – Shine
Gerhard Jürgen Blum-Kwiatkowski – Energy Constellations
He Chengyago – Testimony
Christo and Jeanne Claude – Surrounded Islands
Oskar Dawicki – I’m sorry
Jan Dobkowski – Fruiting
Andrzej Dłużniewski – Earth, Tree, Sky
Edward Dwurnik – Plaster Outdoor II Series / Dumpster
Maurycy Gomulicki – Sentimental Typologies
Ryszard Grzyb – Jump / Picasso’s smile
Barbara Gryka – Motorcycle Dance
Władysław Hasior – Green Despair
Katarzyna Kozyra – The Winter’s Tale
Robert Kuśmirowski – Liberum Animum
Dominik Lejman – 60s Cathedral
Angelika Markul – A l’intérieur de la Nuit / In the Middle of the Night
Maria Pinińska-Bereś – Stretching Curtains / Story
Dorota Podlaska – Tasty Healthy Chocolates
Joanna Rajkowska – Progress
Józef Robakowski – Art Is Power
Józef Robakowski – Energy Angles (diptych)
Zygmunt Rytka – Momentary Objects
Kajetan Sosnowski – Blue Painting (from the Empty Paintings series)
Mikołaj Smoczyński – The Secret Performance 3B
Mariusz Tarkawian – 366 Rotations
Ryszard Winiarski – Game for One
Tomasz Zawadzki – 23.08–14.09.2004
Jan Ziemski – Black-White (diptych) from the series Permutations

Work on adaptations

From May to December 2021, work on the accessibility of works from the collection of Galeria Labirynt was carried out. Audiodescription was written and recorded for each of the works. These materials were developed by students of the English Philology of the Catholic University of Lublin under the supervision of Anna Sadowska, PhD. Selected works (excluding videos) have also been adapted to a haptic form – tactile diagrams or models were prepared for these works. Tactile materials were prepared under the supervision of Ewa Niestorowicz, PhD by students of the Institute of Fine Arts of the Faculty of Arts of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University and by the employees of Galeria Labirynt. Tactile works and audiodescriptions were tested by blind people. Based on the testers’ assessments, 9 works were selected and presented at the “Accessible Collection” exhibition. The descriptions of the works were also printed in Braille and translated into the Polish sign language, English and Ukrainian. Subtitles for the films were prepared in Polish, English and Ukrainian. Easy-to-read and understand texts for people with intellectual disabilities have been created.

Accessibility training

As part of the project, a series of trainings in the field of accessibility was held for people cooperating with Galeria Labirynt. The aim of the meetings was to train the staff, prepare them to consciously construct an educational offer and broaden their knowledge of the accessibility of culture. The trainings were instructed by people with disabilities as well as experts working with disabled people. The courses were held in September and October.

List of training meetings organised as part of the project:

• Training in writing audiodescription, conducted by: Anna Sadowska, PhD
• Training in work with people with intellectual disabilities, conducted by: Janusz Padziński
• Training in the preparation of tactile materials, conducted by: Ewa Niestorowicz, PhD
• Training in cognitive possibilities and limitations in the perception of visual arts by people with visual disabilities, conducted by: Magdalena Szubielska, PhD
• Training in adapting the form of communication for the d/Deaf, conducted by: Aleksandra Palacz and Wioletta Stępniak

Accessible Exhibition

The results of the project are available on the website of Galeria Labirynt. The selected nine works with adaptations are presented in the form of the exhibition “Accessible Collection” (link to the description of the exhibition). The exhibition is available to all recipients, regardless of age and level of ability, and its important part is a programme of free educational workshops, which allowed various groups to integrate socially and develop skills and knowledge of art. Groups from kindergartens, primary schools, special purpose school and education centres, a foundation associating the elderly and groups from universities participated in 10 workshops. There were also organised exhibition tours in the Polish sign language, in Polish and in English.

People involved in the project implementation:

Branding: Emilia Lipa
Preparing films in the Polish sign language: Justyna Kieruzalska, Wioletta Stępniak
Translations into the Polish sign language: Ewelina Lachowska
Translation into Ukrainian: Ivan Davydenko
Translation into English: Krystian Kamiński

Audiovisual translations: Katarzyna Brzyska, Julia Czekaj, Ivan Davydenko, Eryk Gryzio, Karolina Jung, Krystian Kamiński, Anna Rumik, Dawid Wawrzyniak
Audiodescriptions: Anna Sadowska, PhD, Monika Szczęsna, Sylwia Balbier, Magdalena Celegrat, Julia Czaplińska, Paulina Gierlach, Paulina Huzar, Przemysław Janik, Kinga Kucewicz, Magda Lisek, Katarzyna Mazurek, Piotr Pryciak, Monika Szczęsna, Adrianna Śliwa
Audiodescription recording and mastering: Jan Tuźnik

Tactile materials: Maria Chmielnicka, Klaudia Dobkowska, Tetyana Falalieieva, Evghenia Gritscu, Anna Filipiuk, Bartosz Kalisz, Krystian Kamiński, Ksenia Kasperska, Anastasia Kashtalian, Agata Kattenbach, Róża Kowalczyk, Konstanty Olech, Monika Piróg, Monika Rejman, Agata Rogala,  Wioletta Stępniak, Agata Sztorc-Gromaszek, Sonia Warchoł, Adrianna Wilewska, Kinga Wójtowicz, Kiryl Varanko, Aleksandra Zalewska, Ewa Zawadzka, Magdalena Żuk
Tactile materials proofing: Monika Dubiel, Dominik Szurgot, PhD, Mariusz Wołkowicz, Piotr Ziółek
Easy-to-read texts: Agata Pawłowska, Justyna Kazek
Substantive consultations: Ewa Niestorowicz, PhD, Anna Sadowska, PhD, Magdalena Szubielska, PhD, Janusz Padziński, Aleksandra Palacz, Marcin Matys
Preparation of the exhibition “Accessible Collection”: Emilia Lipa, Krystian Kamiński, Agata Sztorc-Gromaszek, Monika Rejman, Karol Jakóbczyk
Support for the promotional campaign: Damian Dubielis

Project partners: Likejon Foundation, “Otwieracz” Association, Prof. Zofia Sękowska Special purpose school and education centre in Lublin, “Krok Za Krokiem” Private Special Schools Complex.

Cooperation: Polish Association of the Blind Lublin District, MCSU Institute of Fine Arts, English Philology of the Catholic University of Lublin, Department of Applied Linguistics MCSU

Works from the collection developed as part of the project:

Co-financed by the Polish Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special purpose fund

Co-financing: PLN 73,000.00

Total value of the task: PLN 92,100.00

Details and press materials can be found at the link: LINK